Electro-magnetic counter



Aug. 9, 1960 P. LABOISSIERE ELECTRO-MAGNE'IIC COUNTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 18, 1957 ion 2.

1960 P. LABOISSIERE 2,948,471

.ELEC'I'RO-HAGNETIC COUNTER Filed Sept. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'UUUUUUU 2,948,471 Patented Aug. 9, 1960 ELECTRO-MAGNETIC COUNTER PierreLaboissiere, 1 Boulevard du Temple, Paris, France Filed Sept. 18, 1957,Ser. No. 684,712 Claims priority, application France Sept. 18, 1956 2Claims. (Cl. 235-92) This invention concerns an electro-magnetic counterwhich can be used, in particular, in accounting machines, computingmachines and cash-registers.

It relates more particularly to a counter type in which the counterwheels can rotate in both directions so as to register both positive andnegative quantities.

In known counters of this type each counting wheel is made fast with tworatchet wheels, the teeth of one ratchet wheel being inclined in theopposite direction to that of the other ratchet wheel. A pawl which isactuated by an electro-magnet engages each of the ratchet wheels. Thenumerical pulses are fed either to one electro-magnet or to the other,depending on the operation to be effected: addition or subtraction, theenergised electro-magnet rotating the counting wheel forward or backwardthrough the corresponding pawl and ratchet wheel. Such an arrangementinvolves the provision of a rather intricate mechanical structureincluding, in particular, two ratchet wheels which increase the inertiaof the rotating assembly.

This invention relates to an electro-magnetic counter comprising atotalising pinion which can rotate and register in both directions,driving means which can be moved from an inoperative position to anoperative position, said driving means inducing said pinion to effect arotation, selectively, in one direction or the other, equalling an anglewhich is smaller than the angular distance between two consecutive teethof said pinion, blocking any further rotation as long as said drivingmeans are kept in the operative position, and locking means urged by aresilient member so as to hold the pinion in position and to completethe rotation movement of said pinion when said driving means are intheir inoperative position.

Two forms of embodiment of this invention are described hereafter solelyby way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an electro-magnetic counter, according tothe invention,

Figure 2 is a section and partial side view taken on the line IIII ofFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a top view,

Figure 4 is an elevation of another form of embodiment, and

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 4.

In the form of embodiment shown by Figures 1 to 3, the electro-magneticcounter comprises a plate supporting two electro-magnets 2 and 3 thecores 4 and 5 of which have an L shape. Said cores are fixed at acertain distance from plate 1 by screws 6. The free ends of the windingsof the electro-magnets 2 and 3 are connected to the terminals 7 and 8respectively. The ends 4a and 5a of cores 4 and 5 are provided withcylindrical recesses to accommodate a cylindrical metal part 9 which issecured to the pivot pin 10 of beam 11. The pivot pin 10 is fixed onplate 1. The beam 11 incorporates two bent members 12 and 13 of fiatshape which act as movable armatures for the cores 4 and 5. These cores4 and 5 are provided with surfaces 41; and 5b which are inclined inrelation to the longitudinal axis of the core. The movable armatures 12and 13 can thus come into close contact with the slanting surfaces 4band 5b respectively. At the free end of beam 11 is secured an anchorshaped member 14 provided with two projections 15 and 16, each of theseprojections being limited by two edges 15a and 15b, 16a and 16brespectively. A pin 17 rigid with beam 11 is clamped between the twolegs of a spring 18 which is kept in position by two pegs 19 and 20fixed on plate 1. The spring 18 keeps beam 11 in its inoperative centralposition, as shown on Figure 1. The totalising wheel 21 is made fast toa straight toothed pinion 22, the ten teeth of which, 23a, 23b, 23c,23a, 23e, 23f, 23g, 2311, 231' and 23f, have a triangular section. Theassembly of totalising wheel 21 and pinion 22 is free to rotate on pivotpin 24 fixed to plate 1. A spring 25 is secured on one side to a peg 26fixed on plate 1, and

on the other side to one end of a knee lever 27 pivotally mounted onpivot pin 28. The other end of the knee lever 27 is provided with afreely rotating roller 29 which is urged towards the teeth 23 of pinion22 by the action of spring 25.

The operation of the electro-magnetic counter, according to theinvention, will now be described referring to Figure 1. If we assumethat electro-magnet 2 is operating in the case of an addition, andelectro-magnet 3 in the case of a subtraction (the contrary could alsohave been chosen) the electrical pulses corresponding to numbers whichare to be added are applied on terminals 7, the electrical pulsescorresponding to numbers which are to be substracted then being appliedto terminals 8. When the electro-magnet 2, used for additions, isenergised, the armature 12 is attracted and comes into contact withsurface 4b of core 4, thus rotating beam 11 to the right, in the caseshown by Figure 1. The tip of projection 16 of the anchor shaped member14 then engages the tooth 23a of pinion 22, rotating said pinion in thedirection shown by the arrow F. The maximum angle of rotation of beam 11and the shapes of the diverse cooperating members are such that, duringits rotation, tooth 23c pushes back the roller 29 against the resistanceof spring 25, roller 29 thus passing over the tip of tooth 23c andpressing the back flank of said tooth in order to rotate pinion 22 inthe direction shown by the arrow F. During the preceding rotation ofpinion 22, however, the tip of tooth 23b has come to stop on edge 16a ofprojection 16. A further rotation of pinion 22 is thus being blocked byprojection 16 as long as the energising pulse lasts. When electro-magnet2 is tie-energised, beam 11 is moved back to its central inoperativeposition by the action of return spring 18, and projection 16 comes awayfrom the path of the teeth 23. Consequently, the pressure of roller 29on the back flank of tooth 23c induces a complementary rotation ofpinion 22 until roller 29 comes to rest simultaneously between tooth 23cand tooth 23d. Thus, the rotation of pinion 22 is accomplished in twosteps: (1) when electro-magnet 2 is energised, through the action ofprojection 16 on the corresponding tooth 23a, (2) when electro-magnet 3is dc-energised, through the pressure of roller 29 on the back flank oftooth 230 which induces a complementary rotation of pinion 22.

If the numerical pulses are fed to terminals 8, the operation isreversed: the electro-magnet 3 is energised and rotates beam 11 to theleft, thus inducing a first rotary movement of pinion 22 through theaction of projection 15 on tooth 231'; the roller 29 passes on the otherside of tooth 23b and tooth 23h comes to stop on edge 15a; finally, whenthe electro-magnet is de-energised a complementary rotation is effectedby the pressure of roller 29 on the back flank of tooth 23b. Thetotalising wheel 21 is thus rotated in the direction of the arrow F Inthe second form of embodiment of the invention shown by Figures 4 and 5the plates 31. supports the two electromagnets 32 and 33, the cores 34and 35 of which are provided with pole-shoes 34a, 34b and 35a, 3511respectively, with cylindrical surfaces disposed coaxially. The assemblyis symmetrical in relation to axis V-V. A ferrite core 36, rigid with amember 38 which is freely rotatable on pivot pin 37, comprises two northpoles and two south poles placed at 90 to each other and which arealternate. These north and south poles are movable in relation to thepolar shoes 34a, 34b and 35a, 3512.

Member 38 comprises two pegs 33a and 38b as well as a stop 380. OnFigures 4 and 5 the pegs 38a and 3812 are placed, respectively, oppositethe arms 39a, 46a of knee levers 39, 40. These levers 39 and 40 arepivotally mounted on pivot pins 41 and 42 respectively, which are fixedon plate 31. The free ends of arms 39a and 40a are formed in the shapeof pawls 39b and 4012, respectively, which are limited by the edges 39cand 400, respectively, and can engage the teeth 43a, 43b, 43c, 43a, 43c,43 435 ,4311, Bi and 43,1 of pinion 43 which is made fast with thetotalising wheel 46.

The free ends of the other arms 3-90 and 400, of the knee levers 39 and40 are respectively provided with locking pawls 39d, and 40d, which areurged towards pinion 43 by the action of springs 4-4 and 45,respectively.

On Figures 4 and 5, the various movable parts are shown in theirinoperative position when they are placed symetrically in relation toaxis V -V.

The counter thus shown operates in the following way: assuming that apulse is fed to electro-magnet 32-, the ferrite core 36 and associatedmember 38 are rotated in anticlockwise direction and are thus placed ina position which is determined by stop 380. The peg 38a then engages thelower end of arm 3% and rotates knee lever 39 in a clockwise directionon pivot pin 41. During this rotation the locking tooth 39d first movesaway from pinion 43 thus releasing the said pinion for rotation. Then,pawl 39b engages tooth 43a and rotates pinion 4 3 in anticlockwisedirection at an angle which is great enough for locking tooth 40d toslide on the forward flank of tooth 43g, to pass over the tip of saidtooth and to engage on its back flank. Wheel 4-3 cannot complete itsmovement of rotation as the forward flank of tooth 40 is stopped by edge3% of arm 3 9a.

Whenelectromragnet 32 is de-energised, the four poles of the ferritecore 36 act in such a way as to move said core rapidly back to itsinoperative position, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The lever 39 is thenrotated by the 5 action of spring 44 in anticlockwise direction and edge39a. slides on the forward flank of tooth 43f until said tooth isreleased. The arm 400 which is brough into engagement with the backflank of tooth 43g through the action of spring45, completes therotation movement of pinion 43 and locks said pinion in its finalposition. On the other hand, arm 39c continues to rotate inanticlockwise direction and tooth 39d completes the locking of pinion43.

The device operates in a similar Way if electro-magnet 33 is energised.The pinion 43 and wheel 46 are then rotated in clockwise direction.

In the above description, only one counter element, able to count tenpulses in one' direction or the other has been shown and described. Itis self-explanatory that a counter for several numerical orders can bemade by assembling several counters according to the invention. All thatis necessary is to provide a carrying over device of any known type, as,for example, a cam member provided with a projection and rigidwith thetotalising wheel, which closes a contact when the totalising wheelpasses from position 9 to position 0, thus sending a supplementary/pulseto the counting wheel of thenext upper order.

It is also possible to provide a different number of teeth for pinion2'2, if the operations are made in a nondecimal numerical. system.

What I claim is:

1. Electro-magnetic counter comprising a totalising pinion which canrotate and register in both directions, two electromagnets, a ferritecore selectively moved in one direction or the other from itsinoperative position by said electromagnets, a member provided with twopegs rigid with said ferrite core, two knee levers pivotally mounted,each of these levers comprising an arm the end of which is formed in theshape of a pawl and which can be rotated by one of the pegs in such away that, when the ferrite core rotates in one direction, one of thepegs rotates the corresponding arm and its pawl engages a tooth of thepinion to rotate it, the rotation of said pinion along a complete pitchbeing blocked by the pawl which engages the teeth of the pinion, andlocking means urged by a resilient member so as to hold the pinion inposition and to complete the rotation movement of said pinion when saidferrite core is restored in their inoperative position.

2. Electro-magnetic counter according to claim 1, in which the other armof the pivotally mounted levers is provided with a locking pawl which,by the action of a return spring, engages the teeth of said pinion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS347,296 Hopkins Aug; 10, 1886 593,773 Michel Nov. 16, 1897 1,080,486Sheagren Dec. 2, 1913 1,126,084 Reisbach Jan. 26, 1915 1,309,204 KoehlerJuly 8, 1919 1,487,409 Wallin Mar. 18, 1924

